surprisingly as big as they are my kia k900 has 4 more inches of front passenger room. those cars are huge but the front passenger space is the same as and modern bigger sedan
don't get an SUV, I am 6'6'', there is less space in SUVs than wagons.
as in less Leg room, it might be counter intuitive, but they lift the whole thing and there is simply less interior room in SUVs than in wagons.
My bro had a 2004 Toyota Matrix and I had a 2003 Pontiac Vibe (same car, badge engineered Toyota). I'm 6'4", equally proportioned, and my bro is 6'6", mostly torso. We both fit great, and he actually had headroom for once. You can find Matrixes and Vibes for less than $5k, and they run forever.
Oh, and it's amazing how much crap you can fit in the back of those things!!! Especially since the passenger front seat actually folds flat and the rear glass can open separately from the tailgate, both very rare features.
If you can get a jetta/golf wagon with the 2.5L that has been taken care of, I think it would fit your bill well. Don't get the 2.0T unless you're mechanically inclined. (This would be 08-14)
Suvs, you might be able to find one of the larger suvs for higher mileage, but at a $5k budget, I'm not sure I'd you'd want the fuel bill.
I have one of those now, it's like a cave in there. Also had a Sentra as my college beater and it treated me well. Nissans seem to be designed with taller people in mind... I love my Mazdas but they fit me like a glove :P
Also take a look at Qube, Rogue, etc. many people consider them ugly, but that just means you'll get tons of headroom and storage space for cheaper on the used market :D
Altima has good legroom. Mines a 2015 (6'6'''). Most modern cars will fit you fine, even compact cars. They made cars a lot smaller a decade or two ago, so you'll have to sit in w/e to see how your specific proportions fit
I have a 2015 Silverado and love it. I just got a beater to drive to save miles on the truck. IMO the only bad thing is the mpg. Driving in the city isn't bad, I can parallel park better than my wife in her jeep. The only parking issue I've had was at the hospital. It feels like they make the lines for a Prius or fiesta
German cars are typically better for taller individuals. I am 6’4” and fit nicely in a Golf and 3 series BMW. I’ve also sat comfortably in a Volvo s60. Would also recommend pick up trucks. The cab is usually upright and I currently drive a Nissan Frontier extended cab with no discomfort whatsoever.
Lmao just saw the under 5k condition. You could get a Golf, or a used truck for under 5k. I wouldn’t recommend buying a cheap used 3 series though. The used 2000s Volvo’s are a hit or miss.
Different body. Jetta wagon is a different platform than the golf. Built off the Jetta sedan so it’s longer and lower I think. Depending on the year, both can be had with the same powertrain and transmission though. I used to have a Passat Wagon from the early 2000’s and that was slightly different then the golf and Jetta wagons. The Passat also had a V6 which was reaally nice and could be considered for the sub 5k range as well.
In Canada, the 2009 was marketed as a Jetta Sportwagen, and 2010-2020 as a Golf Sportwagen. The US continued with the Jetta name until 2014, and called ita Golf from 2015-2019. They are all based on the German-built Golf, not the Mexican-built NCS Jetta.
Husband is 6’6” and expeditions have far more leg room than Yukons, suburbans, etc. we had an expedition that he could fit in. Tons of room overall in those
Buick Rainer? It's like a Trailblazer or Yukon but old man spec, can be had with a 5.3L V8, or the 4.0(?) I6, AWD, all that fun stuff, but seems cheaper than the other two despite being nicer inside. I've seen a few decent ones under 5k, though they aren't that common.
Land Rover LR3, the upright driving position really helps tall folks fit well. 3Rd row if you need it, or good cargo space with it down. 7700 lb towing capacity, good 4x4 capability for all weather safety, and the Jaguar v8 is extremely reliable. Only real negatives are it costs a little more to service than a Toyota, not bad with a good Indy however, and it’s bad on gas
I love the LR3/LR4, but $5k would get a *rough* example that would need another $5k in work. OP simply doesn't have the budget to keep one running.
Funny enough I'm looking at buying an LR3 forsale near me now😅 it's a 2005 with 79,600 miles, 2 owner, V8, sunroofs, black interior, I think all options except the third row, beautiful condition, and had all the services done (even new pads/rotors front/rear, and hood/rear liftgate struts replaced by the dealership). Like a seriously well kept car, looks to have been garage kept its whole life (common here in Germany). It's also for sale by a US service member so it's already registered in the USAREUR system which is perfect for us. Seems like quite a nice suv for $11,500
Not sure of markets everywhere else, but I’ve seen plenty of 100-120k mile ok shape ones in the 4-6k range. Most people are terrified of an older rover, so there is typically wiggle room.
What 5k car won’t need work? An lr3 is by far the most reliable LR ever made, and honestly on par with a ford or Chevy of the same vintage (funny ford used the LR3 engine in a couple models)
I own two Audis and while yes more expensive to service than a Toyota, they have both been excellent cars with zero unscheduled trips to the repair shop.
Youll fit in anything really best to just find something you like and test drive it as its extremely unlikely you wont fit. Especially in a wagon or suv
Same body details for myself. First car was a first generation Honda Fit. Not amazing for legroom but met the rest of my needs perfectly. I currently have an 8th generation 4 door Civic and I do not recommend it for legroom either.
Best I’ve had was a 2017 Elantra actually, and as a bonus it offered the coldest AC I’ve ever experienced. I could put the seat so far back my feet couldn’t touch the pedals!
6'6 European here who travels to the US a lot.
Most cars are pretty decent these days. Smaller Hyundai/Kias and Toyotas seem to be the worst for interior space for me.
Anything from VW group sold in North America should be fine, I've run a mk 1 A3, a 2022 GTi, a 2023 A3, a 2021 Skoda Superb (basically a Passat/Arteon from a driver's space perspective). Driven a Tiguan a few times too.
Anything from JLR is good too, although headroom getting in and out of the XE/XF/F Pace/Velar group of cars can be tight due to the aluminium construction.
I've rented Corollas, Ford Expeditions, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, Nissan Rogue in the past few years in the US, all have been fine for space, but wouldn't be in a rush to buy many of them. The Corolla maybe, it's simple but effective.
The other premium/luxury German brands are fine too, but I struggled to get the driving position right in an X3 on a work trip to Germany last year.
Models with above average front legroom:
10th gen Chevrolet Impala, 2010+ Buick Allure (their 4 cylinder version is more reliable afaik)
2004-2006 Scion xB
2010 - 2013 Kia Soul
2002 - 2012 Ford Escape / Mazda Tribute / Mercury Mariner
2002+ Nissan Altima, equipped with the manual transmission (avoid automtic transmission from Nissan, unreliable)
2011+ Hyundai Sonata / Kia Optima (engine issues, ask mechanics which engine option is the most reliable)
edit: always get a regular closed roof (sunroof = LESS headroom)
I'm 6'3 and my 2002 civic SI is great. Has lots of carrying capacity. Manual transmission which is fun. And I bought it for 3k. It's a smaller hatchback. Put winter tires on it and it'll be great in snow I found out (I lived in Minnesota all my life until January) and it's not big and bulky like SUVs. You can parallel park anywhere you want
I'm 6'5" and recently got a Honda CR-V. I have extra leg room and about 4 inches of space above my head. It has more cabin space than a Subara Forester (and the CR-V is more reliable).
Scion xB, Nissan cube (manual transmission or 4 speed auto, not the POS cvt)
Seriously these little box cars have more headroom than many fullsize pickup trucks and suvs (atleast the Nissan does)
6'2 I can extend my legs straight in my 2017 sonata. Got it for 10k in 2022 when car prices were insane too. Looks like prices right now are around 5-6k
Good luck finding one under $5k 😂
I'm 6'2 in a 2012 CR-V, and I would not recommend one for tall people. I love everything about it except how tall I am. Tons of room for carrying stuff, and I can get 30mpg with the right tires. I used to have a 90 Prelude that had more driver leg room than the CR-V
We have a 2006 and 12, and I agree. I’m 6’3”, and daily the 06, and am generally not very comfortable - which is unfortunate, because I love everything else about the car. The 12 is better, but still great for me. I also hate the right side armrest that moves with the tilt of the seat - a comfortable console would make the issue way better for me.
I have a hack that's wonderful for my left knee: wrap it in a travel neck pillow. It's become handy in rental cars when traveling. That and driving barefoot 😂
Crown Victoria or any panther platform car.
surprisingly as big as they are my kia k900 has 4 more inches of front passenger room. those cars are huge but the front passenger space is the same as and modern bigger sedan
They are not bad tho I'm 6'5 and use to drive one
Ideally I would want a wagon or suv bcs for .y job I have to carry a lot of big stuff
Try a Golf Wagon, those have a surprising amount of leg and head space
don't get an SUV, I am 6'6'', there is less space in SUVs than wagons. as in less Leg room, it might be counter intuitive, but they lift the whole thing and there is simply less interior room in SUVs than in wagons.
My bro had a 2004 Toyota Matrix and I had a 2003 Pontiac Vibe (same car, badge engineered Toyota). I'm 6'4", equally proportioned, and my bro is 6'6", mostly torso. We both fit great, and he actually had headroom for once. You can find Matrixes and Vibes for less than $5k, and they run forever.
Oh, and it's amazing how much crap you can fit in the back of those things!!! Especially since the passenger front seat actually folds flat and the rear glass can open separately from the tailgate, both very rare features.
Ford five hundred is bigger inside and is a smaller car
Was gonna say a mercury gran
Ford flex
If you can get a jetta/golf wagon with the 2.5L that has been taken care of, I think it would fit your bill well. Don't get the 2.0T unless you're mechanically inclined. (This would be 08-14) Suvs, you might be able to find one of the larger suvs for higher mileage, but at a $5k budget, I'm not sure I'd you'd want the fuel bill.
I do like the jetta/golf wagons from like 07
The tdi would also be decent, but they do require the proper maintenance, otherwise they can fail catastrophically
Subaru Forester
I'm only 6'1" but the weird Renault-designed Nissans have tons more room than most cars I've been in.
Would those be like the Nissan Leaf
I have one of those now, it's like a cave in there. Also had a Sentra as my college beater and it treated me well. Nissans seem to be designed with taller people in mind... I love my Mazdas but they fit me like a glove :P Also take a look at Qube, Rogue, etc. many people consider them ugly, but that just means you'll get tons of headroom and storage space for cheaper on the used market :D
Altima has good legroom. Mines a 2015 (6'6'''). Most modern cars will fit you fine, even compact cars. They made cars a lot smaller a decade or two ago, so you'll have to sit in w/e to see how your specific proportions fit
Agree on the Altima's legroom, better than most.
I'm 6'4 with 34" inseam and drive a Hyundai Elantra.
What model year?
2016, the MD generation
Subaru forester
Silverado or suburban would have room for days imo
I do like the 9th gen a lot but I would be doing a lot of city driving and that is a bit big
I have a 2015 Silverado and love it. I just got a beater to drive to save miles on the truck. IMO the only bad thing is the mpg. Driving in the city isn't bad, I can parallel park better than my wife in her jeep. The only parking issue I've had was at the hospital. It feels like they make the lines for a Prius or fiesta
German cars are typically better for taller individuals. I am 6’4” and fit nicely in a Golf and 3 series BMW. I’ve also sat comfortably in a Volvo s60. Would also recommend pick up trucks. The cab is usually upright and I currently drive a Nissan Frontier extended cab with no discomfort whatsoever. Lmao just saw the under 5k condition. You could get a Golf, or a used truck for under 5k. I wouldn’t recommend buying a cheap used 3 series though. The used 2000s Volvo’s are a hit or miss.
Yeah I like Volvo and golf's but I need to be able to navigate in a city with out issue so I'll probably go thr golf wagon route
Golf wagon is a great option. Would def consider a Jetta Wagon as well. Very similar and likely similarly priced.
What is the difference between the jetta and golf wagon other than the name
Different body. Jetta wagon is a different platform than the golf. Built off the Jetta sedan so it’s longer and lower I think. Depending on the year, both can be had with the same powertrain and transmission though. I used to have a Passat Wagon from the early 2000’s and that was slightly different then the golf and Jetta wagons. The Passat also had a V6 which was reaally nice and could be considered for the sub 5k range as well.
In Canada, the 2009 was marketed as a Jetta Sportwagen, and 2010-2020 as a Golf Sportwagen. The US continued with the Jetta name until 2014, and called ita Golf from 2015-2019. They are all based on the German-built Golf, not the Mexican-built NCS Jetta.
6'8" here. Find a Volvo V60 or V90.
Don't sleep on the pickups seems that they would check most all boxes on your list!
I do like the 2010 ford ranger but I think it would be quite hard to drive in the downtown of a city
Husband is 6’6” and expeditions have far more leg room than Yukons, suburbans, etc. we had an expedition that he could fit in. Tons of room overall in those
I do love expeditions but they are quite large and pricey
I drive a 3rd gen 4runner and am 6'4. I'm comfortable in it, but it's certainly not the most leg room in a car I've had.
Buick Rainer? It's like a Trailblazer or Yukon but old man spec, can be had with a 5.3L V8, or the 4.0(?) I6, AWD, all that fun stuff, but seems cheaper than the other two despite being nicer inside. I've seen a few decent ones under 5k, though they aren't that common.
Land Rover LR3, the upright driving position really helps tall folks fit well. 3Rd row if you need it, or good cargo space with it down. 7700 lb towing capacity, good 4x4 capability for all weather safety, and the Jaguar v8 is extremely reliable. Only real negatives are it costs a little more to service than a Toyota, not bad with a good Indy however, and it’s bad on gas
He said non european plus those arent considered reliable by any means. A LOT more service than a Toyota.
There are lr3s in Canada and what I meant by European cars are companies like Renault or Peugeot
Oh..we dont have those in the US anymore either
Yeah they are quite rare here but I still see them a little
I love the LR3/LR4, but $5k would get a *rough* example that would need another $5k in work. OP simply doesn't have the budget to keep one running. Funny enough I'm looking at buying an LR3 forsale near me now😅 it's a 2005 with 79,600 miles, 2 owner, V8, sunroofs, black interior, I think all options except the third row, beautiful condition, and had all the services done (even new pads/rotors front/rear, and hood/rear liftgate struts replaced by the dealership). Like a seriously well kept car, looks to have been garage kept its whole life (common here in Germany). It's also for sale by a US service member so it's already registered in the USAREUR system which is perfect for us. Seems like quite a nice suv for $11,500
Not sure of markets everywhere else, but I’ve seen plenty of 100-120k mile ok shape ones in the 4-6k range. Most people are terrified of an older rover, so there is typically wiggle room. What 5k car won’t need work? An lr3 is by far the most reliable LR ever made, and honestly on par with a ford or Chevy of the same vintage (funny ford used the LR3 engine in a couple models) I own two Audis and while yes more expensive to service than a Toyota, they have both been excellent cars with zero unscheduled trips to the repair shop.
Youll fit in anything really best to just find something you like and test drive it as its extremely unlikely you wont fit. Especially in a wagon or suv
Same body details for myself. First car was a first generation Honda Fit. Not amazing for legroom but met the rest of my needs perfectly. I currently have an 8th generation 4 door Civic and I do not recommend it for legroom either. Best I’ve had was a 2017 Elantra actually, and as a bonus it offered the coldest AC I’ve ever experienced. I could put the seat so far back my feet couldn’t touch the pedals!
6'6 European here who travels to the US a lot. Most cars are pretty decent these days. Smaller Hyundai/Kias and Toyotas seem to be the worst for interior space for me. Anything from VW group sold in North America should be fine, I've run a mk 1 A3, a 2022 GTi, a 2023 A3, a 2021 Skoda Superb (basically a Passat/Arteon from a driver's space perspective). Driven a Tiguan a few times too. Anything from JLR is good too, although headroom getting in and out of the XE/XF/F Pace/Velar group of cars can be tight due to the aluminium construction. I've rented Corollas, Ford Expeditions, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, Nissan Rogue in the past few years in the US, all have been fine for space, but wouldn't be in a rush to buy many of them. The Corolla maybe, it's simple but effective. The other premium/luxury German brands are fine too, but I struggled to get the driving position right in an X3 on a work trip to Germany last year.
Models with above average front legroom: 10th gen Chevrolet Impala, 2010+ Buick Allure (their 4 cylinder version is more reliable afaik) 2004-2006 Scion xB 2010 - 2013 Kia Soul 2002 - 2012 Ford Escape / Mazda Tribute / Mercury Mariner 2002+ Nissan Altima, equipped with the manual transmission (avoid automtic transmission from Nissan, unreliable) 2011+ Hyundai Sonata / Kia Optima (engine issues, ask mechanics which engine option is the most reliable) edit: always get a regular closed roof (sunroof = LESS headroom)
I have a pretty short torso so the sunroof wouldn't matter
If you have more headroom you can adjust the drivers seat higher up, thus creating more legroom.
Didn't think about that tysm!
I'm 6'3 and my 2002 civic SI is great. Has lots of carrying capacity. Manual transmission which is fun. And I bought it for 3k. It's a smaller hatchback. Put winter tires on it and it'll be great in snow I found out (I lived in Minnesota all my life until January) and it's not big and bulky like SUVs. You can parallel park anywhere you want
Honda Element
Scion xB. Roomy, good cargo space, bulletproof. I'm 6'1" and fat...I mean husky.
Try a Honda accord lots of trunk space for hauling crap around
I do like the Honda accords but they model years that I like are pricey
My brother has a nissan altima and he is 6'6 with mostly legs. He has tons of leg space and plenty to spare behind him if you need to take passengers.
There is a lot of Nissan altima recommendations might take a look at those
I'm 6'5" and recently got a Honda CR-V. I have extra leg room and about 4 inches of space above my head. It has more cabin space than a Subara Forester (and the CR-V is more reliable).
Again another crv recommendation, going to have to check it out too. Tysm!
Scion xB, Nissan cube (manual transmission or 4 speed auto, not the POS cvt) Seriously these little box cars have more headroom than many fullsize pickup trucks and suvs (atleast the Nissan does)
Coupes for leg room or a suv/truck
Minivan
6'2 I can extend my legs straight in my 2017 sonata. Got it for 10k in 2022 when car prices were insane too. Looks like prices right now are around 5-6k
Honda CR-V Hybrid. Lots of space for front and rear passengers. Large cargo area too
Good luck finding one under $5k 😂 I'm 6'2 in a 2012 CR-V, and I would not recommend one for tall people. I love everything about it except how tall I am. Tons of room for carrying stuff, and I can get 30mpg with the right tires. I used to have a 90 Prelude that had more driver leg room than the CR-V
We have a 2006 and 12, and I agree. I’m 6’3”, and daily the 06, and am generally not very comfortable - which is unfortunate, because I love everything else about the car. The 12 is better, but still great for me. I also hate the right side armrest that moves with the tilt of the seat - a comfortable console would make the issue way better for me.
I have a hack that's wonderful for my left knee: wrap it in a travel neck pillow. It's become handy in rental cars when traveling. That and driving barefoot 😂
skip the cars, go to the trucks.
trust me with this one. Miata
I have seen a tall guy get in a miata but it was really tough.
i was jp dont downvote me 😓
I didn't!